Chapter 9

Zhu Chang had guessed correctly. The moment Madam Jin heard that Zhao Yanping wanted to take A-Jiao as a concubine and that the Zhao family had even agreed to pay a bride price of ten taels of silver, she immediately had the urge to return home and collect the money. With some persuasion from her own family and now having a reason to save face, Madam Jin retied the bundle of belongings she had just unpacked, gathered her son and daughter, and rushed back to the county town in a donkey cart.

The three of them arrived home early, before it was time to prepare dinner. A-Jiao heard voices but had no desire to see Madam Jin, so she simply sat by the bed and read.

At Huayue Brothel, the girls were taught to read and write. Just as Madam Jin had said, A-Jiao had indeed learned many things there that only well-bred young ladies would have the opportunity to study. Her uncle, knowing her love for books, had given her a few handwritten collections of essays, which she often used to pass the time.

Zhu Chang went to the door to welcome his wife.

He deeply regretted the slap from that morning. A true man should not strike a woman. Seeing the redness and swelling still on her face, his guilt intensified.

Maintaining his authority as a father in front of Zhu Shiyu and Zhu Shuangshuang, he took Madam Jin into their room alone and repeatedly apologized until she was finally appeased.

Once her anger subsided, Madam Jin eagerly asked, “The Zhao family really agreed to give ten taels of silver?”

Zhu Chang’s expression shifted slightly, but he nodded. “Yes.”

He wanted to say more, but seeing Madam Jin so pleased, he hesitated before sighing, “The date for taking a concubine hasn’t been set yet, but I estimate it will be done before the end of the year. At most, A-Jiao will stay with us for another four months. During this time, treat her better. Don’t be like before.”

Madam Jin was unconvinced. “Was I the one who started treating her poorly first? If she were even half as warm to me as she is to you, would I have been cold to her? She still resents me for sending her to that place back then. Since she already hates me, it wouldn’t matter if I smiled at her all day long…”

Zhu Chang waved his hand. “Enough, enough. Let’s not argue these few months. Just take care of the wedding preparations properly. The Zhao family will be hosting a banquet, and we can’t have our own send-off be too cold and unceremonious.”

Madam Jin understood. She had been cursed by the neighbors for years as a heartless aunt. Of course, now that she had a chance to save face, she would make sure to do it grandly.

—

Once the Zhu family gave their response, the matchmaker returned to the Zhao household to finalize the signing of the marriage contract and set the date for the concubine-taking ceremony.

Taking a concubine was far simpler than marrying a legitimate wife. If it were a proper marriage, there would be many more details to negotiate.

The so-called marriage contract was a formal concubine agreement that required the woman’s guardian and the man to go to the county office, draft an official document, and affix their thumbprints. The document not only recorded the names and birthplaces of both parties but also specified the amount of the bride price. On the day before the ceremony, the groom was to deliver the marriage contract along with the bride price to the bride’s family, and the next day, she would be formally taken into his household.

If either party broke the agreement, the concubine contract would serve as proof for seeking compensation.

Zhao Yanping left all these arrangements to Old Madam Zhao.

She was in a hurry—she wanted to bring A-Jiao into the family as soon as possible and, more importantly, use this opportunity to pull her grandson’s heart away from that actor.

The matchmaker brought out an almanac and had just read aloud the first auspicious date—September 8th—when Old Madam Zhao immediately clapped her hands and decided, “That day is good. We’ll go with that. There are still about twenty days left, plenty of time to prepare the banquet.”

The specific timing didn’t concern the matchmaker. With the date chosen, she took the information back to the Zhu family to confirm.

Madam Jin, eager to receive the ten taels of silver as soon as possible, readily agreed. Since Zhao Yanping worked at the county office, Zhu Chang only needed to find time in the next couple of days to go there and handle the paperwork.

Within the county office, the magistrate was the highest-ranking official, while various departments were divided into household affairs, legal affairs, administrative affairs, ceremonial affairs, military affairs, and criminal investigations.

Zhao Yanping worked in the criminal division. When there was a case to handle, he led the constables on investigations. When there were no cases, he remained in the office, awaiting orders from the magistrate.

When Zhu Chang arrived at the county office, a bailiff went inside to announce his visit.

Zhao Yanping was known for his agility and keen instincts—an expert in solving cases and capturing fugitives. He had joined the county office as a constable at seventeen and had remained for seven years. Over that time, five or six different magistrates had come and gone, and every single one of them had liked him.

Constables were considered low-ranking officials, and how long one could hold the position depended entirely on the magistrate’s favor. If a constable was incompetent and failed to solve cases, it would reflect poorly on the magistrate’s record, leading to a quick replacement. Someone like Zhao Yanping, who had held the position for seven years, was truly rare.

Thus, the townsfolk called him “Officer Zhao” out of respect.

Even within the county office, the clerks and bailiffs all acknowledged his authority.

When Zhao Yanping heard that Zhu Chang had arrived, he personally came out to receive him.

Several idle constables, curious about why a scholar was looking for Zhao Yanping, followed along. They trailed him all the way to the ceremonial affairs office and overheard Zhao Yanping telling Clerk Li that he was there to sign a concubine contract—for none other than Scholar Zhu’s niece, the girl who had once been at Huayue Brothel.

The constables were so stunned that their mouths hung open like frogs.

Whistling, they ran back to the criminal division and loudly announced the news.

It had only been a year since the Huayue Brothel case, and the constables had not changed much since then. Almost all of them had been involved in that case. Some of the more unscrupulous ones had taken advantage of the brothel women, while even those who hadn’t were still fascinated by the beauties they had seen there.

“I remember now! When we arrested the brothel madam, there was a particularly alluring courtesan who stayed close to Officer Zhao the whole time. Later, when those people were locked up, Officer Zhao even specially instructed the jailers to take care of her. Could it be her?”

“Damn, I hope not! I tried to pursue that girl back then, but Officer Zhao caught me and stopped me. If she really is the one he’s taking as a concubine, and he remembers what happened, won’t he skin me alive?”

“Relax, Officer Zhao is a reasonable man. Back then, nobody knew each other. As long as you don’t try anything with our future sister-in-law again, he won’t care.”

“Ha! You’re already calling her ‘sister-in-law’ the moment Officer Zhao signed the contract. That flattery! He probably heard you all the way from the ceremonial office.”

After a round of laughter, a dark-skinned constable rubbed his nose and asked, “Am I the only one curious about what our sister-in-law looks like? Officer Zhao has refused to marry all these years, but now he’s suddenly taken a liking to her. She must be stunning.”

At that, everyone turned to look at Liu the Constable—the short, stocky man who had once tried to pursue A-Jiao.

Liu hadn’t even touched her sleeve before Zhao Yanping had driven him away. He could barely remember her face, only that she had been incredibly fair-skinned. Her low-cut red dress had revealed a stretch of snow-white skin, enough to make any man’s blood surge.

Just remembering it made Liu’s heart itch, but he wasn’t foolish. Now that she was about to become Officer Zhao’s concubine, discussing her carelessly could get him beaten.

Just then, Zhao Yanping returned with the signed contract.

The constables gathered around him, excitedly asking about the wedding date, hoping to get invited to the banquet.

Zhao Yanping had already made arrangements. “It’s set for September 8th, but my courtyard is small—there’s not enough space for too many tables. I won’t be inviting everyone, but on the night of the 7th, I’ll treat you all to a feast at a restaurant.”

As soon as those words were spoken, the constables let out a chorus of wolf whistles.

At that moment, Magistrate Xie Ying was reviewing the tax records from the previous year when he suddenly heard cheers erupting from the Criminal Division. Finding it odd, he instructed his attendant, Shun-ge, to go check it out.

Shun-ge obeyed and soon returned with a grin, reporting, “My lord, Officer Zhao is taking a concubine on the eighth of next month and has invited everyone to a celebratory feast.”

Zhao Yanping taking a concubine?

Xie Ying raised an eyebrow. “He hasn’t even taken a wife yet. Why is he taking a concubine first?”

Shun-ge had no answer. “Shall I summon Officer Zhao so you can ask him directly?”

Xie Ying wasn’t that idle and simply continued his work.

However, as dusk approached and the magistrate’s court was about to close for the day, it was Zhao Yanping who came looking for him instead.

Xie Ying greeted him with a smile. “I heard that Zhao brother is taking a concubine. Congratulations, congratulations!”

Zhao Yanping gave a faint smile. That was precisely why he had come. “My family is hosting a banquet on the eighth of next month. I wonder if sir would have time to attend?”

Xie Ying looked at him with newfound interest. “Which family’s young lady has earned such regard from you?”

A magistrate may not hold much power in the capital, but in a local county, he was akin to a parental figure to the people. Given his friendship with Zhao Yanping, even if Zhao were merely accepting a bedchamber maid and invited him for a drink, Xie Ying would likely attend. But to the common folk, the idea of a magistrate personally attending a concubine’s banquet would be an enormous honor for the woman in question.

Zhao Yanping lowered his gaze and replied, “It’s not about regard. She and my late sister share a similar fate—both were sold by their own kin. I simply pity her.”

Xie Ying understood. He nodded and agreed, “The eighth of next month, is it? I will be there.”

Zhao Yanping bowed in thanks.

======

More than half a month passed in a blur, and soon, the seventh day of the ninth month arrived.

To see A-Jiao off in marriage, the Zhu family hosted eight banquet tables, inviting relatives and friends from both the Zhu and Jin families. At the auspicious hour of noon, Zhao’s family sent over the betrothal gifts along with the concubinage contract.

The contract aside, the betrothal gifts included a set of ten silver taels displayed atop red silk, a chest of fine silk fabrics, and an exquisitely crafted dressing table. The mirror on the table, made from imported Western glass, caught the sunlight and nearly blinded the onlookers.

“This is top-quality stuff! Look how clear the reflection is! And Zhao’s family is willing to buy this just for a concubine?”

“I heard that the magistrate himself contributed to the gift. Our magistrate has quite the background—he’s the son of the Yongping Marquis in the capital. Though born of a concubine, his mother was favored, and the marquis cherishes him dearly.”

“If he’s so highly regarded, why did he come all the way here to serve as a magistrate instead of staying in the capital?”

“How should I know? All I know is that Magistrate Xie is loaded!”

As the guests chattered among themselves, Madam Jin and Zhu Shuangshuang stared at the luxurious silk and the finely crafted dressing table, their eyes practically turning red with envy. The silk alone must be worth dozens of taels!

Yet, no matter how envious they were, the matchmaker directed the servants to carry the gifts to the east wing.

Madam Jin couldn’t hold back and stopped the matchmaker, asking, “Why aren’t these being taken to the main house?”

The matchmaker merely smiled without answering. At that moment, Cui Niang, dressed in a pink skirt, stepped forward and loudly declared, “Our old madam said that since the scholar’s wife loves her niece dearly, all these betrothal gifts will surely become part of our young lady’s dowry anyway. So we might as well send them straight to her room and save the trouble of moving them later!”

Madam Jin nearly choked on her own breath!

She had spent so much effort organizing this grand banquet just to claim Zhao’s betrothal gifts—what was this supposed to mean now?

She wanted to raise a fuss, but Zhu Chang promptly restrained her.

Meanwhile, Madam Jin’s daughter, Zhu Shuangshuang, saw that her mother’s plans had fallen through and was equally displeased. She glared at Cui Niang and snapped, “What are you doing here? This is a betrothal ceremony. What business does a mere servant girl have meddling in it?”

Cui Niang puffed out her chest and chirped brightly, “Our old madam adores the young lady, so she’s sending me to serve her as a personal maid. I’m part of the betrothal gift too!”

Of course, the old madam had also given Cui Niang strict instructions—to guard A-Jiao’s betrothal gifts and ensure not a single tael fell into Madam Jin’s hands!